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The Journal of Thoracic and... Jan 2023
Topics: Humans; Optimism
PubMed: 33875255
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcvs.2021.03.053 -
Nutrition Journal Jan 2020Dispositional optimism is a psychological trait that has been associated with positive health outcomes such as reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is...
BACKGROUND
Dispositional optimism is a psychological trait that has been associated with positive health outcomes such as reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. However, there is little knowledge on the relationship between optimism and dietary intake in the population. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess whether optimism was associated with overall diet quality, food group consumption and snacking.
METHODS
In 2016, 32,806 adult participants from the NutriNet-Santé study completed the Life-Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) which assesses dispositional optimism. Overall diet quality (assessed by the mPNNS-Guideline Score) and consumption of 22 food groups were evaluated using at least three self-reported 24-h dietary records. Snacking behavior was evaluated by an ad-hoc question. Logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the associations between optimism and these dietary behaviors, taking into account socio-demographic, lifestyle and depressive symptomatology characteristics.
RESULTS
Optimism was associated with greater overall diet quality (β (95% CI) = 0.07 (0.004-0.11), P < 0.0001) and higher consumption of fruit and vegetables, seafood, whole grains, fats, dairy and meat substitutes, legumes, non-salted oleaginous fruits, and negatively associated with consumption of meat and poultry, dairy products, milk-based desserts, sugar and confectionery. In addition, optimism was associated with less snacking (OR (95% CI) = 0.89 (0.84, 0.95)). In contrast, optimism was associated with higher consumption of alcoholic beverage (β (95% CI) = 5.71 (2.54-8.88), P = 0.0004) and appetizers (OR (95% CI) = 1.09 (1.04, 1.14)). Finally, no association was observed between optimism and energy intake.
CONCLUSIONS
Optimism was associated with better overall diet quality and less snacking. It was also associated with consumption of healthy food groups as well as unhealthy food groups typically consumed in social eating occasions. These findings suggest that optimism could be taken into account in the promotion of a healthy eating behavior.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Diet; Diet Surveys; Feeding Behavior; Female; Food Quality; France; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Optimism; Snacks
PubMed: 31959166
DOI: 10.1186/s12937-020-0522-7 -
Journal of Personality Apr 2021The current exploratory study sought to examine dispositional optimism, or the general expectation for positive outcomes, around the world.
OBJECTIVE
The current exploratory study sought to examine dispositional optimism, or the general expectation for positive outcomes, around the world.
METHOD
Dispositional optimism and possible correlates were assessed across 61 countries (N = 15,185; mean age = 21.92; 77% female). Mean-level differences in optimism were computed along with their relationships with individual and country-level variables.
RESULTS
Worldwide, mean optimism levels were above the midpoint of the scale. Perhaps surprisingly, country-level optimism was negatively related to gross domestic product per capita, population density, and democratic norms and positively related to income inequality and perceived corruption. However, country-level optimism was positively related to projected economic improvement. Individual-level optimism was positively related to individual well-being within every country, although this relationship was less strong in countries with challenging economic and social circumstances.
CONCLUSIONS
While individuals around the world are generally optimistic, societal characteristics appear to affect the degree to which their optimism is associated with psychological well-being, sometimes in seemingly anomalous ways.
Topics: Adult; Female; Humans; Male; Optimism; Personality; Young Adult
PubMed: 32770554
DOI: 10.1111/jopy.12582 -
Medicine Jun 2019Higher trait optimism and/or lower cynical hostility are associated with healthier behaviors and lower risk of morbidity and mortality, yet their association with health... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Higher trait optimism and/or lower cynical hostility are associated with healthier behaviors and lower risk of morbidity and mortality, yet their association with health care utilization has been understudied. Whether these psychological attitudes are associated with breast cancer screening behavior is unknown. To assess the association of optimism and cynical hostility with screening mammography in older women and whether sociodemographic factors acted as mediators of these relationships, we used Women's Health Initiative (WHI) observational cohort survey data linked to Medicare claims. The sample includes WHI participants without history of breast cancer who were enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B for ≥2 years from 2005-2010, and who completed WHI baseline attitudinal questionnaires (n = 48,291). We used survival modeling to examine whether screening frequency varied by psychological attitudes (measured at study baseline) after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, and healthcare-related variables. Psychological attitudes included trait optimism (Life Orientation Test-Revised) and cynical hostility (Cook Medley subscale), which were self-reported at study baseline. Sociodemographic, health conditions, and healthcare variables were self-reported at baseline and updated through 2005 as available. Contrary to our hypotheses, repeated events survival models showed that women with the lowest optimism scores (i.e., more pessimistic tendencies) received 5% more frequent screenings after complete covariate adjustment (p < .01) compared to the most optimistic group, and showed no association between cynical hostility and frequency of screening mammograms. Sociodemographic factors did not appear to mediate the relationship between optimism and screenings. However, higher levels of education and higher levels of income were associated with more frequent screenings (both p < .01). We also found that results for optimism were primarily driven by women who were aged 75 or older after January 2009, when changes to clinical guidelines lead to uncertainty about risks and benefits of screening in this age group. The study demonstrated that lower optimism, higher education, and higher income were all associated with more frequent screening mammograms in this sample after repeated events survival modeling and covariate adjustment.
Topics: Aged; Female; Health Behavior; Humans; Insurance Claim Review; Longitudinal Studies; Mammography; Medicare; Optimism; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Socioeconomic Factors; United States; Women's Health
PubMed: 31192918
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000015869 -
The American Psychologist Oct 2021In light of the analyses of Scheier et al. (2021) concerning differential associations of optimism and pessimism measures with physical health, we argue here that...
In light of the analyses of Scheier et al. (2021) concerning differential associations of optimism and pessimism measures with physical health, we argue here that whether optimism and pessimism are bipolar, lying on separate ends of a spectrum, or whether they represent two separate dimensions is a conceptual, rather than an empirical, question. Differential associations of various indicators, or indicator sets, with health may indeed be of interest, but there are also different ways of grouping indicators other than whether items are worded to correspond to optimism or pessimism. We do nevertheless believe that the analyses of Scheier et al. (2021) can be useful in helping guide intervention development in precisely the ways they suggest. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Optimism; Pessimism
PubMed: 34990174
DOI: 10.1037/amp0000864 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... May 2018
Topics: Bacteremia; Echocardiography; Humans; Optimism
PubMed: 29360951
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy017 -
The Journals of Gerontology. Series B,... Apr 2019Research has suggested that older adults are less optimistic about their future than younger adults; however, a limitation of prior studies is that younger and older...
OBJECTIVES
Research has suggested that older adults are less optimistic about their future than younger adults; however, a limitation of prior studies is that younger and older adults were forecasting to different ages and stages of life. To address this, we investigated whether there are age differences in future optimism when people project to the exact same age. We also tested whether optimism differs when projecting one's own future versus another person's future.
METHOD
Participants were 285 younger and 292 older adults recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants completed writing and word-rating tasks in which they imagined their own future in 15 years, their own future at age 85, or the average person's future at age 85.
RESULTS
Younger adults were more optimistic than older adults about their own future in 15 years. In contrast, both age groups were similarly optimistic about their future at age 85 and expected it to be more positive than others' future at age 85.
DISCUSSION
Contrary to previous research, younger and older adults had comparable future forecasts when projecting to the exact same age. These findings emphasize the need to consider age and stage of life when examining age differences in future optimism.
Topics: Adolescent; Age Factors; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Female; Forecasting; Human Development; Humans; Imagination; Male; Optimism; Psychology, Social
PubMed: 29325140
DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbx171 -
JAMA Network Open Sep 2019
Topics: Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Optimism
PubMed: 31560379
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.12211 -
JAMA Pediatrics Apr 2018
Topics: Attitude to Death; Child; Communication; Hope; Humans; Optimism; Parents; Professional-Family Relations; Semantics; Terminally Ill
PubMed: 29404571
DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.4536 -
The Lancet. Psychiatry Apr 2021
Topics: Health Surveys; Humans; Optimism; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33743874
DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00045-6